[stavros]

Even worse than that, I don't understand how execs are hoping random people will quit. I could maybe understand the reasoning (though it would still have been stupid) if I didn't have people I very much do not want to play Russian roulette with.

[csomar]

CEOs think all people (including devs) should be interchangeable. If they think you are not, they'd rather fire you and have you changed by a process (that has whatever X number of people) that are interchangeable.

[bluGill]

Random people will die form time to time. thus if you are an exec you need to ensure all employees (including you) are replaceable. As such if you need to reduce headcount just counting on a few random people to quit and not replacing them (or replacing them by moving someone out of a position you wanted cut into theirs) is good enough.

Of course people are never this substituteable in the real world. however you need to do your best to make them so.

[stavros]

I can believe that I'll survive without my right arm while simultaneously not looking to chop it off. Yes, sure, all my people are replaceable, but I'm not going to go around flipping a coin on whether they stay or go. Replacing them has costs and risks, and it's cost a lot just getting the people I have.

To make everyone's life more miserable, hoping that your high performers don't leave, that's just shooting yourself in the foot because "I can still walk eventually".

[bluGill]

I am not going to disagree. Just pointing out the logic such as it is.